Recently, my brother’s cat almost died getting herself stuck inside a reclining sofa. If no one was around to help her, she would have passed on. I couldn’t bare losing a loved one in such a horrific way. Everyone in the family is still asking about her, wanting to come by to check on her. The whole ordeal reminded me of all the pets I’ve had and though fictional, it brought up Artax from the film The NeverEnding Story (a 1984 adaptation of the 1979 novel). Kids of the 1980s and 90s know what I’m talking about!

The NeverEnding Story follows bullied Bastian and his crossing into a book he finds with the same name as the story. I’m spoiling the tale enough and the research I did has inspired me to read the original novel to get into what the film rewrote and left out. The sorrowful submersion of Artax was my first experience of anything in peril and facing death. Add on the animal’s own sadness drowns him, my young self was thrown for a loop and can assure all new viewers will be as shocked. The film does have impressive sets and effects, but author Michael Ende was not happy and tried to stop Wolfgang Petersen‘s production, so readers of the book that haven’t seen the motion picture may feel the same.

I can’t say The NeverEnding Story is among my favorite movies or stories, yet it is wrapped up in a pivotal childhood memory I think of often and my current appreciation for Earth and other living beings on it. Reading the book may change my opinion because the plot points I came across seem very interesting and beyond the scope the film intended. For sure, I recommend reading and watching the story that doesn’t end!